Anyways, just thought I'd share some of my ambient lowlight shots. All with a 100L. All SOOC JPEGs...no PP. Absolutely unscientific and non-award-winning...all snapshots. Just toying around with on-cam settings and familiarizing myself with the abundant (current 5DMk3 owner) settings. The 1D X molds in my hand way better than my 5DMk3 with BG-E11. So far, it's been a joy to use.

Northstar, I went the opposite route of what you did...I adjusted max 'Auto ISO range' to 51200. Also adjusted 'ISO speed range' to 204800. Not very useable at 204800 (as I've mentioned, I'm not a pixel-peeper nor a chart-shooter)...lots of color noise and loss of detail. In a pinch, sure. For the web, I wouldn't have second thoughts at 102400. In comparison, I wouldn't have second thoughts (again, for the web) at 51200 on my 5DM3. Northstar, when you get a chance, perhaps you can put your 1D X and 5DM3 through its paces based on my findings and validate or refute my observations. Thanks in advance.

Having said that, Northstar, I realize and understand why you chose to set max 'Auto ISO range' to 6400. Final exposure is, after all, dependent on shooting factors and like most everything photography-related, subjective. We all configure our tools to work best for our shooting style.

D...yes, at some point I'll do some simple comparisons....I sometimes do a little pixel peeping so when I get past 6400 ISO, I start getting nervous

Sligtly off topic....I just read the following article on 1dx settings from a sports illustrated staff photographer....I found some of the info helpful...

Great find! Thanks for sharing! I don't shoot sports. Sorry. It's just not my forte. But I will definitely read up on the link. I'm always up for learning...anything that I could soak up about the 1D X...bring it on!

Anyways, just thought I'd share some of my ambient lowlight shots. All with a 100L. All SOOC JPEGs...no PP. Absolutely unscientific and non-award-winning...all snapshots. Just toying around with on-cam settings and familiarizing myself with the abundant (current 5DMk3 owner) settings. The 1D X molds in my hand way better than my 5DMk3 with BG-E11. So far, it's been a joy to use.

Since you've been calling me "D" (I don't mind at all), may I call you "N" (if that's okay)...it's just a lot less characters to type considering, as a "noob" on this great forum, I've been typing so much!

I feel I should've been more specific with my reply in regards to the tripod. Apologize for having been curt. I do have a tripod...an inexpensive "Rocketfish" CF tripod...with an RRS BH-55 (a very atypical combo, I know)...looking to upgrade to an RRS or a Gitzo sometime...but I digress. Anyways, for those sample shots, nope, didn't use a tripod.

Will sign off now. Gotta get some zzz's for a long day later. Northstar, and everyone else, if you have anymore questions, keep em comin!

That article shows the difference between a proshooter and an enthusiast

That being said, it took for someone here at CR, to make me aware of the fix to my annoyance over not being able to skip menu tab's. Just press the Q-button, wonderful!

Viggo...I had a similar experience with the Q button....I find it very handy now.

Also...I noticed after reading this article that my AF mode was not set to "quick " view when i checked it....in other words, the default from the factory is not quick view (unless I unknowingly switched mine)....Good to know if you shoot action because you should probably switch it to quick.

Anyways, just thought I'd share some of my ambient lowlight shots. All with a 100L. All SOOC JPEGs...no PP. Absolutely unscientific and non-award-winning...all snapshots. Just toying around with on-cam settings and familiarizing myself with the abundant (current 5DMk3 owner) settings. The 1D X molds in my hand way better than my 5DMk3 with BG-E11. So far, it's been a joy to use.

I was curious about the on camera Jpeg noise red. I've always set mine to low, but you make a good case here for using the standard or maybe high settings for high ISO jpegs....I guess my point is maybe in these high ISO situations I should stop shooting raw and maybe consider going with jpeg standard or high mode....it sure would make things easier.

Feel blessed you can afford such a cool camera Feel free to gift me your old camera so i can gift it to my fiance

If I was in the mood to give my gear away, I would give it to a friend, family member, a fellow employee, my church, a local school, a neighbor, or a local charitable organization.....I sure wouldn't be giving an expensive camera to an online stranger that behaves as a beggar.

For what its worth I have my max auto ISO at 25,600 but tbh that was only because I read one pro review stating that he'd be happy to allow it to go there, I've never found the need to be any higher, in fact I've rarely been up at 25.6k but your 32k-50k images look absolutely fine, even at 2xlarge.

Cheers for posting.

stoneysnapper, if you were referring to the 5DM3, yes I agree, won't have second thoughts pushing it to 25600. Actually, 51200 will be where it's at (if needed), for me, for web purposes.

Dwight, sorry I was actually referring to the 1Dx. I suppose it depends on what you are doing with the images thereafter, I tend to either print for Club Competitions or submit digital and some judges will view at 100% or more. But for web posting etc they are absolutely acceptable.

For what its worth a pro friend of mine did comparison tests between my 1Dx and his 5Diii and he found there to be at least a 1 one stop advantage with the 1Dx.

Feel blessed you can afford such a cool camera Feel free to gift me your old camera so i can gift it to my fiance

If I was in the mood to give my gear away, I would give it to a friend, family member, a fellow employee, my church, a local school, a neighbor, or a local charitable organization.....I sure wouldn't be giving an expensive camera to an online stranger that behaves as a beggar.

I would do the same as you but i just cant afford a "1" camera. Perhaps never. And dont forget not every post of mine includes some "please give me" something

So how does anyone with a 5D3 think these compare to the 5D3 in comparable conditions?

The OP mentioned there is no PP in these pics, therefore, I say the 5D III is not quite near 1D X in term of high ISO. On 5D III, 12000ish ISO will require some NR in LR, but it's doable. I can say anything lower than 6400ISO, 5D III is really good.

Hopefully couple years from now, the price of 1D X will go down a bit. I might have enough money to get one. Until then, I'll stick around with my 5D III.

Well maybe not in two but in three years from now the new 5DMkIV will beat the 1Dx at high ISO but a few months later the 1Dx II will strike back and put 5DMkIV to second place. And so on and on

For what its worth I have my max auto ISO at 25,600 but tbh that was only because I read one pro review stating that he'd be happy to allow it to go there, I've never found the need to be any higher, in fact I've rarely been up at 25.6k but your 32k-50k images look absolutely fine, even at 2xlarge.

Cheers for posting.

stoneysnapper, if you were referring to the 5DM3, yes I agree, won't have second thoughts pushing it to 25600. Actually, 51200 will be where it's at (if needed), for me, for web purposes.

Dwight, sorry I was actually referring to the 1Dx. I suppose it depends on what you are doing with the images thereafter, I tend to either print for Club Competitions or submit digital and some judges will view at 100% or more. But for web posting etc they are absolutely acceptable.

For what its worth a pro friend of mine did comparison tests between my 1Dx and his 5Diii and he found there to be at least a 1 one stop advantage with the 1Dx.

stoneysnapper, thanks for the clarification. In my short and unscientific observations, for RAW, 1-stop is close to accurate.